


The Blue Hour

by bonsaiScribbler



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Anxiety, Architect Joshua, Author Jeonghan, Baker Seungcheol, Established Relationship, Haunting, M/M, Polyamory, future Jihancheol, haunted house au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26105827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonsaiScribbler/pseuds/bonsaiScribbler
Summary: The house is going to need a lot of care, but they have made do with worse. This is going to be their home, and Seungcheol intends to make it the most beautiful place either of them have lived in.Joshua and Seungcheol move into their newly inherited home. A new city, a new start, everything is going to be perfect.It's lovely until it isn't.
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

The road seems never ending, winding along the coast like a sea serpent. If they are lucky, they will reach their new home before nightfall. So far everything has been running smoothly, but neither of them dares to mention it, lest they jinx themselves.

Their little car gives a huff when they hit a bump in the road, startling the seagulls sitting on the guardrail into fleeing. As idyllic as the road to the new city seems, both of them wonder what their new life will be like. Seungcheol stares outside, watching the seagulls, wondering if their new home will be close to the sea. Joshua didn't mention anything about it, and when asked, admitted that he barely remembers his uncle – much less his house.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Joshua says. His eyes don't leave the road, but even so Seungcheol knows that he has Joshua's undivided attention.

“Our new life.” Seungcheol replies. “It feels so sudden, you know? We've been planning and setting things up for months, and now everything is happening so fast.”

“Are we getting cold feet, Mr Choi?” The humor in Joshua's voice is undeniable, and Seungcheol feels a warm rush of affection.

“As if I'd leave you at the altar.” Seungcheol jokes, drawing laughter from Joshua. When the laughter dies down, he carefully places a hand on Joshua's thigh without trying to distract him. “I'm nervous. I can't believe we're getting our own house. It just doesn't seem real.”

“I know. But it is. It's ours.” Joshua's voice is unbearably soft as he places his hand over Seungcheol's. “And you're going to get your own bakery. The best in the entire city.”

“Yeah.” Seungcheol's throat feels tight. They are so very lucky, even if their new house came at the cost of Joshua's estranged uncle passing away. “It's going to be amazing.”

After quickly checking the rearview mirror, Joshua slows the car into a halt. Gently cradling Seungcheol's face, he pulls him into a kiss, rubbing their noses together when they draw apart.

“We can do this. We've worked so hard for it.” Joshua tells him, and a tiny bit of Seungcheol's anxiety fades. “And if you need more time... if you don't think you're ready for your bakery yet then you can stay at home till you feel ready, okay?”

“And what? Be your kept man?” Seungcheol jokes, but they both know that there's a hint of truth hidden in his question.

“You know we can afford it.” Joshua replies, brushing his thumb over Seungcheol's cheek. “You can pay me back by letting me watch you work in the garden. Topless, preferably.”

“Why, are you interested in some Gardner roleplay, Mr Hong?” Seungcheol quips, batting his eyelashes. It's amusing how fast Joshua pulls back, ears burning red. “Wait! Really?”

“Oh, shut up.” Joshua mumbles, starting the car again. “Here I am, trying to tell you that we'll be fine, and you mock me.”

Loud laughter escapes Seungcheol and he leans back in his seat. They sit in silence for a few minutes.

“Thank you.” Seungcheol says, watching as a beautiful smile makes its way onto Joshua's face.

The house is going to take some work. They both knew that much when they decided to keep it instead of selling it like Joshua's mother had suggested. It definitely needs a paint job, Seungcheol decides, and the garden is in dire need of some proper weeding. A lot of lamps will have to be replaced, and electrical lines will have to be checked and reinstalled, if necessary. It's going to need a lot of care, but they have made do with worse. This is going to be their home, and Seungcheol intends to make it the most beautiful place either of them have lived in.

“They got lost and won't make it until tomorrow.” Joshua suddenly says, drawing Seungcheol's attention back to him. “I got an air mattress and some blankets in the trunk. Do you want to find a hotel or spend the first night in our new home?”

His back aches a bit at the thought of having to sleep on an air mattress again. But memories of curling up with Joshua, making out under the sheets, at a friend's place after a party, make him change his mind. He can deal with it for a day, and maybe wheedle out a massage from Joshua in the morning.

“It's been ages since we've slept on one of those things... and we're not twenty anymore.” Seungcheol says, rubbing his back for added effect. “But we can manage for one night.”

“You're the one who hit thirty.” Joshua tells him with a big grin. “I'm still young and beautiful.”

“How could you?” Seungcheol dramatically exclaims, drawing more beautiful laughter from Joshua.

“Ah, but you're still handsome.” Joshua punctuates his statement with a kiss. “Strong.” Another kiss. “And the love of my life.” One last kiss before he pulls away. “But you're still older than me.”

“Joshua!”

The front door refuses to stay open when they try to carry the few things that they managed to fit in their car inside. A rock, placed between the frame and the door, finally allows them to get their belongings inside without the door slamming shut before they can enter. The hinges most certainly will have to be replaced, if not the entire front door. As they feared, the lamps in the hallway are broken, so they make their way into their new bedroom under the light of their phones.

The air mattress comes to life with every squeaking pump of the ventilation system. It'll be a miracle if the mattress doesn't deflate overnight, Seungcheol thinks, shining the light for Joshua as he prepares the blankets.

Swiftly changing into their nightwear they decide to skip brushing their teeth in order to cuddle up on the mattress. It takes a fair bit of moving around before they settle in a comfortable position. With Joshua safely tucked against Seungcheol's chest, he can finally feel himself relax.

It's a bit eerie. The quiet of the suburbs is so different to the bustling sound of the city at any time of the day. The only noises are the creaking of an old house, and as happy is to have their own house, it's going to take a lot of work to make it perfect for them. He wants it to be perfect. He wants a place just for the two of them. They're going to have to fix a lot, and it's going to cost so much money, which they have, but wouldn't even be possible for Seungcheol to stay at home? Wouldn't things become awkward, if he didn't start his bakery and stayed at home instead?

“Shut up.” Joshua's voice is heavy with sleep, as if he's barely clinging to consciousness.“I can hear you overthinking.”

“But...”

“No buts.” Seungcheol gasps a little when Joshua straddles him. The air mattress lets out a pitiful squeak. “This is it. This is ours. And it's going to be perfect, okay?”

When Seungcheol doesn't immediately respond, Joshua flicks his forehead, narrowly missing his eye in the dark.

“It's going to be perfect! You're right!” Seungcheol is quick to assure Joshua, biting back a loud groan when Joshua flops down on him, moving around until he's comfortable.

“I know, it's scary.” Joshua says, interlacing his hand with Seungcheol's. “But everything is going to be alright. I'm with you. I'll always be with you.”

Morning comes much too soon in the form of the sun glaring at them through the curtainless window. They both groan and try to hide from the sun, hiding under the covers.

It only works for a few precious minutes before their air mattress finally deflates with a squeal.

“Don't.” Is all Joshua says as he untangles himself from the mess that is their blankets and mattress.

“But I didn't even say anything.” Seungcheol protests, trying to follow Joshua, but getting caught up in the blankets.

“You were!” Joshua yells from the hallway, leaving Seungcheol to free himself, only proving Seungcheol's point that an air mattress isn't meant to be slept on.

After he finally manages to beat the mattress, he follows the clattering noise to find Joshua in the bathroom putting their blankets away. A toothbrush dangles from his lips, and Seungcheol wonders if he's even brushing his teeth at this point.

He grabs his own toothbrush and starts brushing his teeth, knowing that he won't get his good morning kiss until his morning breath is gone.

“Did the company tell you when they'll arrive today?” Seungcheol asks around his toothbrush. Judging by the look on Joshua's face, he'd been too muffled. Taking out his toothbrush he repeats his question.

“Some time in the morning.” Joshua says, leaning over the sink to rinse his teeth.”But since it's the crack of dawn, it'll probably be some time until they make it.”

“Okay, I'm going to get dressed and see if I can organize some breakfast for us.” Seungcheol says, leaning over the sink to follow Joshua's example once he moves away.

“You're the best.” Joshua tells him, leaning in to give Seungcheol his morning kiss. “Do you think we could have croissants? I'm craving french today.”

“I'll try.” Seungcheol promises, eager for the moving company to arrive, so that he can set up his kitchen. As much as he likes trying out baked goods from different bakeries, it's his baked goods that Joshua loves the most. And Joshua deserves only the best.

More kisses follow, making it difficult for Seungcheol to follow through with his promise. Eventually, with much effort, they pull apart, and Seungcheol takes a moment to stare at his lovely husband, wondering how he got so lucky.

“I'll be right back.” He tells Joshua.

He gets dressed in record time, and grabs the car keys. His phone shows that the nearest bakery is only a few minutes away. With one last look at the garden, he decides to make a detour to the hardware store before picking up breakfast. Knowing Joshua will take full control over the movers, and the furniture placement, so he might as well start gaining control over the garden.

When he returns victorious from his shopping trip, the moving truck pulls up. Mourning the loss of his nice and quiet breakfast with Joshua, he heads to the kitchen. As expected, Joshua instantly takes control and starts discussing things with the movers. In the meantime Seungcheol cuts up two of the baguettes he bought and prepares coffee. The movers look at him in reverence when he tells them that there's food in the kitchen.

Joshua graces him with a lovely smile when Seungcheol hands him one of the cups of coffee he's been carrying.

“Thank you.” Joshua looks content, sipping his coffee, letting out a happy sigh when the caffeine hits his system. Seungcheol wants to tell the movers to come back tomorrow, to just put up the bed and leave them in peace to cuddle for the day.

“Any time.” Seungcheol tells him, then downs his coffee in one go. “I'll be working in the garden, if you need me.”

The weeds in the garden mock him. He removes plant after plant, but he barely makes a dent in their numbers. Behind him the pile of plants grows as he pulls and tugs, but it feels like he's fighting a losing battle.

A loud meow breaks his concentration as he's pulling on a plant. Startled, he lets go, landing hard on his butt.

A small white face comes into view, throwing him a look that can only be described as scathing. Cussing and rubbing his aching bottom, he stares at the cat. After a few seconds, it hisses at Seungcheol before rushing into the undergrowth of the garden.

“Just what I need.” Seungcheol grumbles, crouching down where the cat has vanished. “Kitty, come here!”

Despite Seungcheol's valiant efforts, the cat remains firmly hidden in the undergrowth that Seungcheol was planning to beat with a machete. But with the cat in there he could end up hurting it, so he grabs a pair of pruning shears, and starts carefully snipping away. No matter how far he progresses, the cat seems to evade him. Just as he starts to think that the cat left, a blur of white brushes against his leg. Yelping in shock, he drops the shears. The resounding jowl tells him that they must have hit the cat. Frantically looking around, he spots the tail of the cat vanishing over the fence into their neighbor's garden.

“Joshua!” Abandoning his tools, he stumbles into the house. Much to his surprise all the furniture is in place and the movers are nowhere to be seen. How long has he been outside? “Joshua?”

Upstairs a door creaks ominously.

“Joshua?” He tries again, sighing in relief when he hears the familiar footsteps of Joshua making his way down the stairs.

“What's wrong?” Joshua asks as he enters the room. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” Seungcheol is quick to deny it. Neither is his bruised bottom nor his bruised ego count. “There was a cat! And it's hurt! And it belongs to the neighbor!”

“What? Slow down.” Joshua says, grabbing Seungcheol's hands. “Try again, okay?”

Somehow he manages to convey to Joshua that he accidentally hurt what he assumes is their neighbor's cat. He needs to go check on the cat. But what if their neighbor thinks he's weird?

“You're overthinking again.” Joshua tells him, pressing a kiss against his cheek. “We're going to go there and introduce ourselves. What's the worst that could happen?

Their neighbor's house is a lot more modern than theirs, and the garden is just as big. Except there are no weeds, Seungcheol thinks bitterly.

The door swings open after the second ring and a stunning young man with brown curls and round glasses sitting precariously on his nose stares at them. In his arms is a very familiar white cat.

“Hello?” The young man says, looking confused.

“Hi. We're your new neighbors.” Joshua introduces them. “I'm Joshua and this is my husband Seungcheol.”

“I'm Jeonghan.” The beautiful creature in front of them introduces himself. “Nice to meet you.”

“Look, we're very sorry to bother you, but it appears that Seungcheol might have injured your cat when he was weeding the garden.”

Red hot guilt rushes through Seungcheol, and he avoids Jeonghan's doe eyes.

“Oh, so that's what happened.” Jeonghan says, looking at the cat pitifully meowing in his arms. “She's been limping a bit, so I'm going to take her to the vet. Could you tell me what happened?”

“She startled me and I dropped my shears on her.” Seungcheol mumbles, staring at a bunch of lilies next to the door.

“Of course we'll cover the cost of the vet.” Joshua says, slipping his hand into Seungcheol's.

“It's fine. It was an accident.” Jeonghan says, and looks down at his cat. “You brought this on yourself.”

“Please, I insist.” Seungcheol says. After all it's his fault.

“How about you come over tomorrow and we discuss everything.” Joshua offers. Seemingly considering it for a moment, Jeonghan gives a nod, and Seungcheol gives a sigh of relief.

“Alright.” Jeonghan concedes. “I'll come by in the afternoon, if that's fine by you?”

“Of course.” Joshua says with a big smile, squeezing Seungcheol's hand.

  
  


They bid their goodbye to let Jeonghan take his now loudly complaining cat to the vet. He stumbles past them with his cat carrier a few moments later, waving at them before disappearing around the corner.

“Cute.” Before Seungcheol can help himself the word slips out. When he realizes what he's said, he freezes, turning to look at Joshua.

“Very.” Joshua agrees with his cat-like grin, pulling Seungcheol forward into a kiss.

He's so lucky that he's got the best husband in the whole wide world, Seungcheol thinks. So much so that he almost doesn't mind the front door slamming against his already aching behind.

He really needs to fix the hinges.


	2. Chapter 2

Loud snores and the ray of light falling through the curtain directly on his nose, slowly wake him up. The arms wrapped around his middle are heavy and far too warm. He turns his head to look at Seungcheol and lets out a giggle at the sight of Seungcheol's open mouth and the puddle of drool on the pillow. With a low grumble, Seungcheol pulls him closer, pressing his face against Joshua's nape. A quick glance at the alarm shows that he has more than enough time to get another round of sleep in Seungcheol's arms.  
When he wakes up for the second time, the spot is empty and cold. His back cracks as he stretches, then wraps the blankets around himself before he leaves their freezing cold bedroom. Following Seungcheol's humming and the smell of coffee, he ends up in the kitchen, where the most amazing husband in the world is preparing breakfast.

Pots and pans are still in disarray. Some have been put into the cabinets, some are peeking out of opened boxes, and the few chosen ones are on the stove in front of Seungcheol. Cheese and egg sizzle in the pan as Seungcheol prepares an omelet. A loud growl leaves his stomach, making it known that it's awake and would like some of that delicious food.

“Feed me.” Is the only greeting that Seungcheol is going to get until his stomach has been filled.

“Good morning, my darling overlord.” Seungcheol jokes, flipping the omelet. “It's almost ready. Take a seat.”

Shuffling to one or the chairs that isn't covered by kitchen utensils, he pushes some dishtowels away to make space on the table. When it's suitable for a plate and a cup of coffee, he plops down on the chair, pulling the blankets up to his ears.

“It's cold, isn't it?” Seungcheol remarks, setting down a plate with omelet in front of Joshua. “I'm going to call an electrician today to check the power lines. I should probably call someone to check the heating as well.”

“Best husband.” Joshua says in lieu of agreement, forcing one arm out of his blanket nest to grab a fork.  
Said best husband plucks the fork from Joshua's hand and picks up a knife to cut the omelet into perfectly bite-sized pieces.

“Best husband.” He repeats and takes the fork back. The omelet is delightfully fluffy and delicious. With every bite he feels more awake and warm. By the time Seungcheol sets two cups of coffee on the table and sits down with his own omelet, Joshua is capable of holding a conversation.

“Did you sleep well?” He asks, sipping on his coffee and enjoying the bitter taste. Black coffee is one of the few things they don't agree on and never will, if Seungcheol's wrinkled nose is anything to go by.

“I had some trouble falling asleep with all the creaking.” Seungcheol says with his cheeks as full as a squirrel's. “But I'll probably get used to it soon.”

“Creaking? I didn't notice anything.” He tells Seungcheol. “Maybe we should check for mice or have the floorboards checked. My uncle neglected the house for years, so it would be no surprise if there's some vernim living here.”

“You're right.” Seungcheol says, cheeks still adorably full as he reaches for his cup of coffee. “I'm going to see if I can buy some traps. Maybe we won't even have to call an exterminator.”

“Cheollie, you are the love of my life, but if you don't swallow that omelet before drinking your coffee, I'm not kissing you goodbye.” Not that he really means it, but it's cute how Seungcheol freezes with the cup against his lips, and then hastily swallows.

“It's all going to mix in my stomach anyway.” Seungcheol grumbles, taking a big gulp of coffee. His pout is so unbearably cute that Joshua can't find it in him to feel bad for teasing Seungcheol.

“It's still gross.” The fork clatters on the empty plate as he picks up his coffee and downs the rest of it. He checks the ancient, but surprisingly still working, clock on the wall. There's still enough time left to enjoy a few more minutes with Seungcheol before he has to go and get ready.

“You drink black coffee. You don't get to judge me.”

Their morning banter is always refreshing, and it's almost his favorite thing about mornings. His absolute favorite that nothing will ever beat, is curling up together and feeding each other breakfast.

The last few minutes of his free time are spent watching Seungcheol sulk and eat, before he can't take it anymore and pulls Seungcheol into a kiss across the table. One of the coffee cups falls victim to their sudden move, spilling coffee all over the table. He can't really bring himself to care, too lost in Seungcheol's starry-eyed expression.

“Wanna join me in the shower?”

They still have time.

“Of course.”

The front door screeches open, and slams shut the second he's stepped inside.

Fatigue sits heavy in his bones, despite having worked for only a few hours. Meeting new people and awkward socialization are a given upon starting a new job, but even so he feels drained. None of his colleagues had been particularly welcoming or rude, wrapped up in the last few hours before a deadline. The coming weeks would show who he could rely on and work with. Working along had never been a problem, but with a project so big and expensive that the company that hired paid for the move and every possible expense just to get him to work for them, he wants a team that he can work with and know that they're not trying to sabotage or undermine him for whatever reason.

“Cheollie, I'm home!” He yells into the empty foyer, waiting for Seungcheol's reply. When he doesn't get one, he makes his way into the kitchen.

The boxes have been unpacked and folded in a corner. Seungcheol's high quality kitchen equipment has been carefully set up. A tray of fresh cookies sits on the counter and a bowl with batter waits patiently for Seungcheol's return.

“Seungcheol?” Just to be safe he turns off the oven. It's not uncommon for Seungcheol to leave the kitchen while he bakes, but the house is old and they have yet to get the power lines checked.

The living room is his next destination. Unlike the kitchen it's only half finished. Some boxes are stacked on top of each other, and others have been unpacked. Some shelves have been filled, and their stereo has been set up. But no Seungcheol.

The stairs give a loud creak. The floorboards echo the creaking as he makes his way to the stairs. At the end of the hallway Seungcheol and a haggard looking man wearing a toolbelt emerge. If he remembers correctly the door leads to the basement, which would explain Seungcheol's green-ish pallor.

“Hi Joshua.” Seungcheol welcomes him, relief spreading across his face. “We were just checking the heating system.”

The haggard looking man gives a sharp nod in greeting and pulls out a tablet.

“How was your day?” Seungcheol asks, stepping towards Joshua, but stops before he can draw him into a kiss. The haggard looking man behind him doesn't even look at them, focusing on his tablet, but it still makes any show of affection feel awkward.

“You know how first days go.” Joshua replies, settling for stroking Seungcheol's hand with a thumb. “Not too bad, not too good. It's still too early to tell how things are going to end up.”

“I'm sure it'll be fine.” Seungcheol tells him with a sunny smile.

“Yeah.” Joshua finds himself smiling back, enjoying their moment, their joined hands and Seungcheol's smile. The moment is broken when the haggard looking man clears his throat and holds up his tablet.

“Got your estimate.” The man tells them, and they crowd around the tablet. The figure has one more 0 than he'd like , but he's not surprised, if he's being honest, and money isn't even an issue. “Lots of pipes'll have to be fixed. I figure instead of trying to patch them up and fix the old boiler system, we could install a new system with new pipes. The old one can be fixed, but it's so old that it's likely that it'll need constant repairs.”

Besides him Seungcheol swallows, and Joshua can almost hear him overthinking. They'll be fine, but Seungcheol's anxiety and current unemployment always leave him feeling guilty, and it keeps hurting Seungcheol.

He needs to find a way to make Seungcheol feel better.

“Thank you.” Joshua says with a smile plastered to his face. “Could you send the estimation to us via email with a rough estimate how long it'll take and how soon you can start?”

“Sure.” The man hands him a card. “Give me a call once you've decided.”

“We will. Thank you, Mr Min.” A peek on the card finally reveals the man's name. “We'll be waiting for your mail.”

With a satisfied nod, he turns to leave and pauses at the front door, which once again refuses to budge.

“Might want to get that fixed.” He says when he manages to pry the door open. “I know a good handyman. I'll send you his name.”

The door slams shut behind him with a resounding bang.

“That's a lot of money.” Seungcheol whispers, and Joshua can almost feel the anxiety rolling off of him.

“Yes. But we knew that renovating this house could be very expensive.” Joshua reminds him. “And we're not short on money.”

“But...”

They're going to fall back into the same argument. Joshua wants, needs, Seungcheol to know that everything is going to be alright.

“I don't mind being your sugar daddy for life.” Joshua jokes, causing Seungcheol to choke on spit. The laughter that spills from his mouth after a coughing fit, is all that Joshua wants in his life and more.

The mischievous grin on Seungcheol's face makes his heart beat so much faster.

“Shouldn't I be the sugar daddy between us?” Oh no! “Since I got the sug-”

With unparalleled speed he slaps a hand over Seungcheol's mouth, sending him a withering glare. He can feel Seungcheol's soft lips pull back into a grin before something wet brushes the palm of his hand. Lightning fast he pulls his hand back and wipes it on his jeans.

“What?” Seungcheol asks, reaching out to grab Joshua's waist.

“You're a menace.” He insists as he is drawn into a bear hug. Seungcheol's chuckles vibrate against his neck.

One crisis averted.

The second batch of cookies is almost ready. The scent of cinnamon and apples permeates the air. A hint of nostalgia fills Joshua, thinking back to their first apartment with a crappy oven and an inexperienced Seungcheol. All of the burnt pastries he's eaten have given his stomach an almost inhumane resistance to burnt food, but he still loved every single one of them.  
Unlike before Seungcheol no longer cusses or stomps his feet and whines, when things go wrong, because of course they still do, instead Seungcheol has learned to come up with brilliant solutions to his mistakes. And Joshua could kiss him senseless every time he sees his smile after a successful save.

“What do you think?” Seungcheol asks, holding up two trays. Specs of batter cling to his arms and apron, but Seungcheol takes no note of that.

“What?” Perhaps he'd been reminiscing at the wrong time.

“Classic chocolate and vanilla or apple and cinnamon?” A difficult choice to make. “Or both?”

“Both.” Joshua tells him. “What's the occasion?”

Not that he minds Seungcheol baking, he could watch him all day long, but apple and cinnamon as well as chocolate and vanilla are Seungcheol's favorite comfort cookies. Suddenly, as he watches Seungcheol fidget nervously, he remembers that their neighbor is coming over. And that Seungcheol is trying to make up for hurting his cat.

“Oh, right. Our neighbor... Jeonghan, was it?” he asks, looking around and trying to decide if they should just meet with him in the kitchen or if the living room is presentable enough to invite guests in. He's tempted to stay in their cozy kitchen, but he can almost feel his mother's disapproving stare from miles away. “Are you trying to get into his good graces?”

“I almost murdered his cat.” The dejected look on Seungcheol's face should appease even the angriest pet owner, and if for some reason their neighbor has a heart of stone, the cookies will definitely win him over.

“No, you didn't.” Joshua tells him, planting a kiss on Seungcheol's cheek and taking a tray from him. “We saw the cat and it looked well enough to complain. How about we wait and see what Jeonghan has to say?”

“But...”

It only takes a single look to shut his husband up.

“Okay.”

Their living room is almost inhabitable at this point. For a moment they consider the dining room, but after one look at the chaos, they unanimously decide that their living room is the better choice – and won't scare off their neighbor.

“Do you think he'll like it?” Seungcheol asks for the umpteenth time as he places the cups on the saucers. “What if he hates sweets?”

“Then he has no sense of taste and is a lost cause anyway.” Joshua tells him, gently placing the coffee pot on the glass table. “It'll be fine. He seemed pretty nice.”

“He did.” The platter of cookies clack softly as it's set down next to the coffee pot. “But...”

“No.”

After an anxious, never ending wait until the doorbell chimes, Seungcheol almost trips over his own feet as he rushes to the door. By the time Joshua has reached the door, Seungcheol is standing frozen, one hand on the handle, but not opening the door. Gently, he places his hand on top of Seungcheol's and pushes the handle down.  
The door opens with a loud groan, revealing their neighbor.  
Just like yesterday, his hair is a fluffy mess, but he's not wearing his glasses, which only serves to make his eyes look even bigger. Besides him Joshua can feel Seungcheol tense before slowly relaxing his grip on the handle.

“Good afternoon.” Jeonghan greets them somewhat stiffly, playing with the strap of the bag he's carrying. “I hope I'm not late.”

“Of course not. Please come in.” Joshua says, stepping to the side to let him in, while Seungcheol maintains his firm grip on the door. Since they still haven't had the time to fix the hinges, it slams shut with a loud thud the second Seungcheol lets go.

“Sorry about that. We haven't fixed the door yet.” Seungcheol says, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. “Please excuse the chaos,” he continues as he leads Jeonghan to their living room. “We haven't had time to unpack everything.”

“It's fine.” Jeonghan is quick to reassure him, taking a look around the living room. “It looks much better than if I were in your place.”

They sit in a small circle around the table. The Sofa hasn't been cleaned yet, so Seungcheol pushed it to the side and placed three sitting cushions around the table. If Jeonghan finds it odd, he doesn't mention it.

“How's your cat?” Joshua asks, breaking the awkward silence that has settled in the room.

“She's fine.” Jeonghan says. A small smile graces his face when Seungcheol can't hold back a sigh of relief. “She's bruised, but nothing's broken. She has to rest for a few days, but other than that, she's fine.”

“About the bill.” Joshua stops beating around the bush, bringing up the reason for their meeting in the first place, but Jeonghan waves him off.

“It's not a big deal.” But Joshua knows that the vet most likely took x-rays to make sure that the cat's leg wasn't broken, and if his memory serves him right, x-rays are on the far side of cheap.

“Please.” Joshua repeats, and he can tell that Jeonghan is about to refuse again. “Let us cover at least half the bill.”

“It really isn't necessary.” Jeonghan insists, but Joshua is not going to back down. Poor Seungcheol is silently watching the exchange. His hand on Joshua's leg twitches occasionally, as if he wants to say something but doesn't dare to.

“Please allow us to cover half of it.” Joshua begins again, giving his husband's hand a reassuring squeeze. When Jeonghan opens his mouth, Seungcheol cuts him off, surprising both of them.

“Please let us carry the costs.” he begins, voice so serious that Jeonghan stops his protests. “I know it was an accident, but I feel awful for hurting your cat. It's such a small animal and I hurt it. Please... just let us take care of things.”

There's a beat. Jeonghan's stare seems to pierce through Seungcheol, and Joshua is about to speak up when Jeonghan's gaze softens and he gives Seungcheol a small smile.

“Alright.” He concedes, and Seungcheol returns his smile with a pleased, eager one that makes Joshua's heart do funny things.

“Now that that's settled.” Joshua says, drawing their attention back to him. “Would you like some coffee? Or cookies?”

“I'd like that.” Jeonghan says, smile firmly in place.

As always, Joshua is amazed by how easily Seungcheol slips into the role of host, pouring coffee and explaining the different types of cookies. He watches as Jeonghan's eyes light up when he tries one of the cookies, and finds himself smiling in response.

“These are delicious!” The obvious delight in Jeonghan's voice, and Seungcheol's beautiful corresponding smile is enough for Joshua to decide that he likes their neighbor. “Did you really make them all by yourself?”

“I did.” Seungcheol says with a hint of pride in his voice. “I actually went to a culinary school and specialized in pastries.”

“Oh! Well, that explains why your cookies taste like heaven.” Joshua is sure that if he could see Seungcheol's ears, they'd be bright red from the praise.

“Thank you.” Seungcheol says, clearly pleased with the compliment.

“Are you going to work around here somewhere?” Jeonghan asks, and the smile slips right off Seungcheol's face. Realizing that he must have upset Seungcheol, Jeonghan throws a quick glance at Joshua.

“We just moved here and Seungcheol wants to take care of the house first.” Joshua smooths the topic over, pointedly looking at Seungcheol's trembling hands, prompting Jeonghan to do the same. “As you can see, there's a lot to fix.”

“From what I remember the previous owner was a bit odd.” Jeonghan tells them, staring at his cup with furrowed brows. “Most people avoided him and only met him occasionally. He seemed to care more about the house than anything else, but I never saw him do any work.”

“Odd?” It's not even remotely surprising. His mother had told him that her brother had pretty much become a hermit after moving into this house. “How so?”

“Oh, he mostly kept to himself, but when people actually met him, he'd have weird mood swings. Most people weren't allowed to enter his house... and he'd cause quite a ruckus at night sometimes.” Jeonghan replies, absentmindedly playing with the cookie in his hand.“One time when I visited him he was very nice... at first. And then all of a sudden he got angry and told me to get out.”

“Why?”

“I don't know. He was just showing me around the house and told me about the pond ...and then he started looking around and told me to get out.” Jeonghan recounts, nose scrunched in concentration. A tiny crumb is sticking to his lip, and Joshua wants to reach out and brush it away.

“I see.” Seungcheol looks uncomfortable, and Joshua gives him a short smile. It's been years since he's met his uncle, and his behavior doesn't reflect on him. Some people just end up weird, he supposes. “I understand why that seems odd.”

“I've met stranger people.” Jeonghan as he takes another cookie from the platter. “These are so good!”

“Please, take some home with you.” Seungcheol says with a bright smile, dimple showing and Joshua wants to pinch his cheek. “By the way, what do you mean by you've met stranger people? He sounds pretty strange to me.”

“Oh, I've interviewed some people that made the previous owner seem like a harmless little lamb.” Jeonghan says, a mischievous glint in his eye, and Joshua finds himself leaning forward.

“Interview? Are you a journalist?”

“What? No! I...” A pink flush appears on Jeonghan's cheeks. “I'm an author.”

Joshua can pinpoint the exact moment when Seungcheol's excitement bubbles over, a million questions spill from his mouth. The childlike excitement is endearing, and Joshua sits back, sipping on his coffee as Jeonghan tries to answer all of his questions.  
It's been a while since Seungcheol has been so excited, and it's so very beautiful to see him happy and excited. He's like an overeager puppy, and a small part of him wishes that they were alone, so he could give Seungcheol all the kisses he deserves. Another part of him is happy that Jeonghan is there, and apparently not minding Seungcheol's barrage of questions.  
Admittedly, he starts to zone out after a while, not paying attention to their conversation, instead watching the two beautiful people next to him. Seungcheol's excitement seemingly infected Jeonghan, both bending over Jeonghan's phone to share something.

It's so peaceful and nice. It's so easy to forget about the last few months and just enjoy the moment. This is it. Their new start. They are going to be happy here.

He lets his mind wander as he looks around the living room, making plans on what should be moved and fixed, and dreaming of cozy evenings with his husband. Their garden would probably benefit from a nice patio, but it'd certainly take a while to get rid of the mess that is currently inhabiting their garden. And maybe, just maybe since their garden might be huge, but not their priority, when everything is done, they can add a pool to relax in.

Speaking of which.

“Excuse me.” He interrupts the two of them. Their heads snap up in sync, staring at him with wide eyes. “Sorry to interrupt. Uhm... Jeonghan, you mentioned a pond? Was that here? Like... in this garden?”

Across from him Seungcheol tenses and Joshua doesn't need to be a mind reader to know what he is thinking.

“Yes? Yeah. He mentioned that about... thirty? I think, thirty years ago, there used to be a pond in the garden but it was eventually filled up.” Jeonghan muses. “I'm not sure what caused it. The owner might have mentioned it, but I don't remember.”

“That's fine.” Joshua says, but he can tell that his tone must be slightly off, because Jeonghan glances between Seungcheol and Joshua with a look that Joshua can't quite read. He clears his throat. “To be honest, neither Seungcheol nor I am fond of ponds. Murky water is... unsettling.”

“Oh, I see.” Jeonghan looks like he wants to say more before his eyes drift to their windowsill. All of a sudden he jumps up, crossing the room with quick steps and opening the window. “You little monster! How did you get out?”

A loud jowl is the only reply he gets from the angry white cat that he has grabbed by the scruff of her neck.

“Is that her?” Seungcheol asks, already getting up to check up on the cat.

“Ah, no. That's Shelley.” Jeonghan tells him, as Seungcheol approaches them, hand hovering near the cat's face but not daring to touch it. “Mary is the one that's hurt.”

“Wait! You have two of them?...but they look the same.”

In all honesty, Joshua hadn't paid much attention to the cat yesterday. All that he noticed was that it was white, fluffy, and his husband was in distress.

“I do. They're siblings.” Jeonghan explains. “I'm so sorry to leave like this, but I got to make sure that Mary didn't get out as well.”

“It's no problem at all.” Joshua quickly reassures him, standing up as well. “Maybe you could come over again and we could continue our chat? You probably know more about this house than we do.”

He doesn't need to turn his head to know that his husband is staring at Jeonghan with the saddest puppy dog eyes. It's good that he's already found someone he's comfortable with. And Joshua has to admit that Jeonghan, if a bit reserved at first, is very sweet and interesting. He doesn't quite know why, but he'd like to see him again.

“I... yes. I'd like that.” Jeonghan says with a smile, which slides right off his face as the cat in his arms starts to make her discomfort known. “And if you'd like you could also come over to my place? … if you want to check on Mary or something.”

The pink flush is back, and Joshua doesn't have it in him to deny him.

“Of course.” Seungcheol chimes in. “And I'll bring some cookies tomorrow, okay? We still got some leftovers... I mean, if you want some?”

“I'd like that.”

Later after they are done cleaning, and everything is safely tucked away, Joshua listens to Seungcheol's excited chatter as he gets ready for the night. Their bedroom is still a bit of a mess, but the bed looks inviting, and he can't wait to curl up with Seungcheol.

“What do you think?” Seungcheol's voice drifts from the bathroom. “About Jeonghan's idea?”

“Hm?” His breath catches when his husband steps out of the bathroom, still damp from the shower with a towel around his neck.

“The online store?” Seungcheol says, wiping his face with the towel. His biceps flexes nicely at the movement.

“I... I didn't catch that part.” The lone drop running down Seungcheol's throat and settling into his collarbone has Joshua terribly distracted.

“He told me that you can make online bakeries or something like that? It's like... someone put their order in and I bake whatever they want at home. And then a delivery service picks it up.” Seungcheol explains excitedly. That actually sounds great, Joshua has to admit, reluctantly dragging his focus away from the little drop that is sitting on Seungcheol's collarbone. “He knows someone who can help me set things up! Doesn't that sound awesome?”

It's been weeks since his husband has been so happy. The whole idea seems to excite him so much that he can ignore all his worries. Gods, he's so beautiful in his excitement. Joshua could kiss Jeonghan for his genius idea. Instead he grabs his husband, pulling him into a long, deep kiss, and pushes him towards the bed.

“I take it you like it?” Seungcheol says with a cocky grin when Joshua lets himself fall into his waiting arms.

“Very much so.”


	3. Chapter 3

The air is freezing cold, and so is Joshua's nose, pressed against the back of his neck. He loves his husband, he really does, but he slowly and carefully pulls away. With a low whine Joshua follows him, not even close to awake, but aware enough to chase the warmth.  
The whine makes Seungcheol pause. Feeling guilty, he pulls Joshua into his arms and draws the blanket up as far as possible. The frigid air still nips at the tip of his ears, but is somewhat bearable now.  
Upstairs the live-in critter skitters around, making the stairs creak as it gets close to them. The traps he's bought for them are safely stored in the trunk of his car. He'll have to set them up soon before the critters make their way downstairs. But they can stay for one more night.

Icy feet press against his calves, startling him into wakefulness. The culprit is cuddled up as close as possible, leeching his body heat. Goosebumps prickle across his skin as he contemplates if he should get up or deal with Joshua's cold feet. Warm puffs of breath hit his neck and he stares a bit, admiring the beautiful love of his life, soft hair framing his perfect face.  
It's barely light outside and Joshua won't have to get up for another hour. No one is going to see and judge him, if he crawls back to bed after Joshua goes to work.  
Under normal circumstances, it'd be so easy to stay in bed and try to get more sleep, but the icy toes of his husband scared away every ounce of sleep in his bones. Might as well get up and start the day. He has more than enough time to whip up a nice and tasty breakfast. As quick and quiet as a mouse, he slips out of bed, holding back a curse when his bare feet hit the cold floor boards.  
Behind him Joshua shuffles around, searching for his source of warmth, then grabs all of the blanket and rolls himself into a blanket cocoon. The sight is so perfectly adorable that he has to take a photo for his own, personal collection. Just one and Joshua doesn't have to know.

It ends up being so cute that it becomes his new background for now.

The bathroom isn't as cold as their bedroom, but still a far cry from warm. The heater refuses to work and Seungcheol prays that the other heaters work, because he is not going into that basement without Joshua.  
Thankfully, at least one deity seems to have listened and the heater in the kitchen and living room decide to provide heat. Though the pipes rattle in protest.

The assembly of fruits sits on the counter where he left them the days before. He checks how many eggs he has left, certainly enough to make pancakes before his husband wakes up. There are still some cookies left from the days before and even though he wants Jeonghan to have them, he can't let Joshua spend his day without his treats. So he meticulously divides them into two parts. Heroically sacrificing himself and eating the one remaining cookie to avoid conflict.  
Checking the clock again, he decides that Joshua could also do with a nice lunch before he ruins his stomach with awful cafeteria food. Simple fried rice will do the trick and tide Joshua over until he gets home.

The gas hisses and emerges in a blue flame when Seungcheol turns on the stove. All the ingredients are within reach as Seungcheol starts up the rice cooker and grabs a bowl from the cabinet. Getting the pancake batter ready is easy and leaves him with enough time to contemplate which fruits Joshua might want with his pancakes. In the end he settles for blueberries, an all time favorite of his.

The aroma of blueberries must have been what finally lured his husband out of their bed. His hair is comparable to a bird's nest and his eyes as closed as he stumbles into the kitchen. This time Joshua isn't dragging all of their blankets with him, instead swimming in one of Seungcheol's old, worn-out sport hoodies.

“Good morning.” Seungcheol greets him, watching Joshua waddle over to him and wrap his arms around him. “Slept well?”

“Cold.” Is the complaint he receives, as if Joshua hadn't been leeching his body heat only hours before.

“I know.” He says, turning back to check on the pancakes. Cold fingers slide under his shirt. “You're freezing. Are you coming down with something? You're always hot.”

“That I am.” The saucy grin is evident in Joshua's voice.

“Dork.” Seungcheol replies, pulling his dorky husband into a kiss. His lips are as cold as his fingers. Worried, Seungcheol grabs Joshua's hands in his, blowing his own warm breath onto Joshua's finger in hopes of warming them up. “You're really cold. Are you sure you're okay?”

“I could do with some breakfast and a scalding hot shower.”

Yawning widely, Joshua trudges over to his chair and th pointedly looks at the pancakes.

“My arms are soo tired.” Joshua says, batting his eyelashes, and Seungcheol can tell where this is going. “Feed me?”

“I'd love to.” Seungcheolt tells him. “But then I won't be able to fry the rice.”

“Fried rice?” It's adorable how wide-awake Joshua suddenly seems. “For me?”

“Mhm.”

Seungcheol hums in agreement, putting a clean pan on the stove and adding the rice. The sizzle is something that he had always loved, though not as much as a cake slowly turning a lovely golden colour in the oven. It's so satisfying and he misses it more than he noticed before, he comes to realize. Shaking his head, he focuses on adding kimchi and onions to the rice. If Jeonghan's idea works out it'd be great. He could bake again. Alone. With no one there to judge him.

“You're my best husband.” Joshua chimes, stacking pancakes on his plate and wolfing them down incredible speed.

“I'm your only husband.” Seungcheol rolls his eyes good-naturedly, not that Joshua can see it.

“I'll have you know that I have several husbands.”

Turning around, Seungcheol looks at Joshua with his cheeks full of pancakes, looking akin to a hamster's stuffed cheeks. It shouldn't be so attractive, but it is.

“How come I've never met them?”

“Well, there are reasons.” Joshua says after he finally swallows down the ridiculous amount of pancake in his mouth.

“Yeah?”

“Of course.” Joshua says. “You're my best husband. I wouldn't want to share you with the others.”

“Right.”

They stare at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

“Eat your pancakes.” Seungcheol tells Joshua.

Affection settles deep in his belly as he watches his husband enjoy his breakfast. Even though there is still time left, Joshua practically inhales his pancakes, and Seungcheol makes a mental note to check how many blueberries they have left. Blueberry muffins seem like a good snack to take to work. Maybe he can try out some new recipes. It has been a while since he baked for the joy of it, without anyone criticizing everything.

“Cheol,” Joshua's voice breaks him out of his thoughts. He hasn't even noticed how close he has gotten, almost draping himself over Seungcheol's back. “You're the best. I love your pancakes. I love when you cook for me. You're the only one for me. I love you.”

Something clogs up his throat. Sometimes Joshua will compliment him for the most ridiculous things, and sometimes, in moments like these, Joshua compliments him with such sincerity that Seungcheol doesn't know how to react.

“You're so cheesy.” He says, leaning back and letting Joshua wrap his arms around his middle. The back hug is nice and washes a sense of calm over Seungcheol. He's fine. Everything is okay. “I love you too.”

Soft lips press against his nape and Seungcheol wants to melt.

“I'm going to take a shower.” Joshua tells him. “Do you want to join me?”

He'd love to, but the rice isn't done yet. If he joins Joshua the rice is going to get burned, but if he doesn't join him he won't get any more affection until Joshua gets back. Not that Seungcheol isn't going to be fine for a few hours on his own. But he'd like some cuddles. Maybe some kisses. Maybe a bit more.

“The rice isn't done yet.” Seungcheol says woefully, earning himself a chuckle.

“It'll be fine.” Joshua says, hand reaching towards the stove and lowering the gas to the lowest setting. “We'll be quick.”

They are absolutely not going to be quick and it'd be a shame if the rice gets burned. But Joshua gently tugs on him, giving him puppy eyes and Seungcheol falls for it hook, line, sinker.

Much to Seungcheol's surprise they end up being quick and the rice is just the slightest bit darker than it should have been.

Jeonghan's house seems a lot more imposing than the day before. Chewing on his lip, Seungcheol contemplates ringing and leaving the cookies on the doormat. But Jeonghan hadn't been mad at him, so he has no reason to be nervous. No reason at all.  
Brushing some dirt from his jacket, he checks himself in the window one last time, hoping to look like a friendly neighbor and not like some awkward buffoon.

“You can do this.” He psyches himself up, wielding the box of cookies like a shield, then presses the doorbell. Instant regret washes over him when he hears the chime inside. It's too late now.

Inside the house there is some clatter, an angry meow, before the door opens, revealing Jeonghan in all his tousled glory. The round glasses sit askew on his nose, urging Seungcheol to reach out. He fights back the impulse, settling for what he hopes is a friendly smile instead.

“Hello Jeonghan.” He pauses, trying his best not to be too obvious in his staring. There's something about Jeonghan that captivates him, making it impossible not to look. It's embarrassing. He's a married man, married to the love of his life. But Joshua wouldn't mind a look or two. After all, he agreed with Seungcheol. Right? “I-uhm... I brought cookies? From yesterday? I promised I'd bring some over.”

For a few awkward moments Jeonghan blinks at him, clearly having no idea what he's talking about.

“Oh! Seungcheol, hello.” Jeonghan greets him with a smile. “Come in.”

Opening the door wider to let Seungcheol step inside, Jeonghan beckons him inside. After the briefest moment of consideration, Seungcheol follows him, curious what Jeonghan's house looks like.

For some reason he expected the house to be a bit messy, full of manuscripts and books strewn all over the place, but it's very neat besides a few cat toys in odd corners. A quietly charging roomba sits next to a scratching post.  
The entire house seems to be made up in wooden tones and various shades of blue. Several pieces of art line the walls, some abstract, some scenic.

“Do you like art?” Jeonghan asks. A blush creeps across Seungcheol's cheeks at having been caught staring. “My friends painted these for me. They're very talented.”

“They're amazing.” Seungcheol says, eyes tracing over a painting that is held in a stark contrast of black and white with a splash of vibrant colours where a man's face should be.

Following Jeonghan into a very modern, very stylish kitchen, he pauses in awe and jealousy as Jeonghan wanders over to the fridge. The kitchen looks pristine.

“It looks nice.” Jeonghan tells him. “But I'm not a great cook. I can make a few dishes, but they'd probably seem pathetic to you.”

“I'm sure they're fine.” Seungcheol reassures him, placing the container of cookies on a counter and runs his fingers over the smooth, marble surface.

“They're really not.” Jeonghan says with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “But I make great cocktails.”

That startles a laugh out of Seungcheol. And for a moment Seungcheol doesn't feel awkward and doesn't think about how he acts, instead he laughs whole-heartedly, loud and unashamed.  
When the laughter stops self-consciousness sets in. He's about to apologize when he sees Jeonghan's satisfied smile.

“I'm sure you are.” Seungcheol says. “Maybe you could show me some time? And Joshua.”

“Of course.” Jeonghan nods cutely, his glasses tilt dangerously. “You just moved here, so how about a small get together when you're ready?”

“I'd like that.” It's odd how quickly Seungcheol gets over his nervousness around Jeonghan. Something about Jeonghan makes it so easy. “I could make some snacks to go with the cocktails.”

“That sounds great.”

They fall into easy chatter as Jeonghan leads him around the house, giving him an impromptu tour. The house is very nice and Seungcheol takes several mental notes of things he'd like to discuss with Joshua. Maybe they could ask Jeonghan for help. From what Seungcheol can tell, he has a great eye for details and interior design.  
The only room that Seungcheol is not allowed in is Jeonghan's study where he writes his books. Even though he's curious and would love nothing more to be allowed to sneak a peek, he understands why Jeonghan denies him access. And he's not even rude about it. Instead Jeonghan seems shy when he tells him that he'd rather not show anyone – except his agent and editor – his study. While Seungcheol wonders what secrets Jeonghan might be hiding, he gracefully accepts Jeonghan's decision.

A jowl interrupts their conversation and a white ball of fluff barrels into Jeonghan's arms with a striking resemblance to a cannonball. It has enough force for Jeonghan to take a step back and let out a winded groan.

“Shelley.” The white cat in Jeonghan's arms glares at him, then rubs herself all over Jeonghan. “You already ate. Quit laying it on so thick.”

The cat purrs like a little sewing machine and Seungcheol is enamoured by the sight of the fluffy cat rubbing her face against Jeonghan's and chewing on his equally fluffy hair.

“Shelley,” Jeonghan reprimands the purring cat, and Seungcheol holds back a grin when he sees Jeonghan's hand bury itself in Shelley's thick fur and stroke it. “You just ate. I know that you're not starving.”

Shelley very much disagrees, jumping from Jeonghan's arms and performing a woeful act of a starving cat. If Seungcheol hadn't heard Jeonghan say that Shelley already ate, he'd have dropped everything to get food for the poor starving cat.

“Great actress.” Jeonghan mutters when Shelley dramatically flops to the floor, then gently nudges her with his foot. “Don't just lay around in the hallway, you evil tripping hazard.”

Despite his best efforts to keep a straight face, Seungcheol can't hold back a snicker as he watches Jeonghan talk to his cat.

“Oh...” A red flush crawls up Jeonghan's neck. “Don't mind me... just talking to my cat.”

“It's cute.” Seungcheol's tongue moves before his brain can catch up. “I-I-I mean that you treat her like that.”

“What?”

If the ground could open up and swallow Seungcheol whole, he'd be very grateful, though that'd mean he'd leave Joshua behind and there's absolutely no way he could ever do that. So he gathers his courage and ignores that he feels like some complete idiot.

“I've never had pets.” Seungcheol elaborates. “I've heard there are a lot of pet owners talk to their pets, I've just never seen it happen.”

“Ah... they always keep me company.” Jeonghan tells him seriously. “And they're very opinionated, so it makes sense to talk to them.”

“I see.”

The white cat at their feet meows loudly, flopping onto her back and presenting her belly to them.

“Don't fall for it.” Jeonghan warns him when he bends down. “She'll use your hands as a scratching post if you touch her belly. But you can pet her behind her ears.”

Heeding Jeonghan's warning, he carefully avoids the fluffy, inviting belly and gently strokes Shelley behind the ears. Within seconds she's purring and rubbing her little face against his hand – and Seungcheol melts when faced with her cuteness. Before long he catches himself talking to her, telling her how majestic and beautiful she is, a queen among cats.  
The shutter of a camera snaps him out of his thoughts.  
Jeonghan only looks the slightest bit guilty when Seungcheol raises his eyebrows at him.

“It'll be a great memory?” He says, even though it sounds more like a question.

Clearing his throat Seungcheol stands up, ignoring his burning ears.

“Do you want to check on Mary?” Jeonghan asks, looking more and more embarrassed by the second and Seungcheol starts to feel bad.

“Yes, yeah. Of course.” Seungcheol says. “Could you send me the photo later?”

“Certainly.”

Following Jeonghan into a room padded with cushions and cat toys, Seungcheol pauses when he sees a familiar white face glaring balefully at him.

“Hey baby.” Jeonghan greets her, picking up the feline and holding her gently. “Still mad that you can't go outside?”

The hiss is all the answer Seungcheol needs, but once Mary spies her sister walking into the room behind them, she stops.

“Hey Mary.” Seungcheol says, holding out his hand for her to sniff. Immediately her glare intensifies and Seungcheol wants to hide behind Jeonghan. Maybe he should have stayed outside. “She hates me.”

“Nah, she's just being a sourpuss.” Jeonghan tells him and makes his way through the sea of pillows to grab something out of a drawer. “Here, that'll win her over.”

“What's that?”

The thing in his hand looks like a sock filled with something and tied shut with a thick ribbon. A second glance confirms that it's indeed a sock with an adorable cat pattern.

“Ah...” A pink flush warms Jeonghan's cheeks. “It's an old sock. I put some dried catnip inside so that the cats can safely play with it.

The thought of Jeonghan deliberately choosing a sock with a cat pattern is so adorable and wholesome that Seungcheol doesn't know what to say. Mary, however, has no such problems. Upon seeing the thing in Seungcheol's hand, she starts to wiggle in Jeonghan's arms and meows loudly when he doesn't let her go.

“Mary, be careful.” Jeonghan scolds her as he puts her down on one of the many, many pillows. “You're supposed to rest.”

Mary doesn't care at all. Not even remotely. Resolutely, she wobbles her way to Seungcheol, sitting down next to her sister to stare at Seungcheol. When Seungcheol doesn't immediately react she lets out a demanding meow, and is quickly joined by her sister.

“Just give it to them.” Jeonghan advises him. “Otherwise they will claw their way up your legs to get what they want.”

The idea of razor-sharp claws digging into his jeans-clad legs makes him bend down and tentatively hold out the sock.  
Like a predator pouncing its defenseless prey, the cats launch themselves at the sock – Mary's injuries long forgotten in the face of catnip.  
Within minutes the cats have shredded the sock, spraying catnip everywhere and happily rolling in it, purring and acting so cute that Seungcheol can't resist taking pictures. When he finally looks at Jeonghan again, he's taken aback by the sweet smile that Jeonghan directs at him.

“Trust me.” Jeonghan says, walking around the cats towards the door. “They love you now. But they will be high as a kite for the next few hours.”

Reassured that he is not hated by the cats, Seungcheol follows him outside, turning back for one last look at the cats before closing the door.

The doorbell chiming interrupts whatever is left of their tour. Jeonghan blinks confusedly for a few seconds until the bell rings again and realization sets in. Beckoning Seungcheol to accompany him, Jeonghan heads back to the entrance, opening the door for a tall, handsome man.

“Hannie!” The man greets Jeonghan, pulling him into a hug. His voice has an interesting lilt to it, perhaps an accent. “I got here early.”

“I can tell.” Jeonghan's reply is muffled by the man's shoulder, but he doesn't seem to mind.

“Ooh. A visitor.” The stranger says when he catches sight of Seungcheol, and lets go of Jeonghan. “Hello. I'm Junhui.”

“Hello.” Seungcheol says, bowing his head. “I'm Seungcheol. I just moved here.”

“He's my new neighbor.” Jeonghan chimes in. “He and his husband moved in next door.”

“That house?” Junhui says, pointing vaguely into the direction where Seungcheol lives. When Seungcheol nods, he exchanges a look with Jeonghan. “It needs a lot of work.”

“I've noticed.” Seungcheol says, trying not to think about the cost of the new heating system. “But we're planning to renovate it. My husband is an architect and he already has a million ideas.”

That obviously piques Junhui's interest and Seungcheol finds himself trapped in his first house interrogation. All plans that he knows of are carefully discussed and examined. Sometimes Junhui will even offer improvement ideas. He's been so swept up in the torrent that is Junhui's curiosity that he doesn't immediately notice how fast the time has passed until he hears his husband's car pull up next door.

“I think I have to go.” Seungcheol says, interrupting Junhui's questions.

“I'm sorry for keeping you so long.” Jeonghan speaks up from where he has been standing behind Junhui, an amused spark bright in his eyes. “I hope you didn't mind Junnie's lack of filter.”

“What do you mean by lack of filter?” Junhui asks, looking genuinely confused, but Seungcheol catches the quick wink he throws at him. “A new neighbor moves in next to my cousin and I'm not allowed to be curious?”

“Cousin?” Seungcheol asks. You don't sound alike, he wants to say, but he's scared that he'll open a can of worms and embarrass himself in front of his cute neighbor.

“Don't we look alike?” Pulling Jeonghan close, he presses their faces together, and Seungcheol smothers a laugh. “We're almost twins.”

“... that's not how it works.” Jeonghan says, rolling his eyes, but sounding excessively fond.

Perhaps it's a story for another day.

“Well, it's been nice meeting you.” Seungcheol says, bowing his head lightly.

“No need to be so formal.” Junhui says, having moved on to hugging Jeonghan's back. “I'm sure we'll meet again. And bring your husband! I have so many questions.”

“Junnie, you can't just tell him to bring his husband.” Jeonghan tells him, ignoring that Junhui has taken hold of his wrist and making him wave at Seungcheol.

“Why not?” Junhui asks, very obviously teasing his cousin.

“It's fine.” Seungcheol interrupts their bickering. “I'm sure Joshua would love to meet you too.”

Before Junhui can let loose another barrage of questions, Jeonghan slaps his hand over his mouth, effectively silencing him.

“It was nice of you to come over. And thank you for the cookies.” Jeonghan says. Junhui visibly perks up under Jeonghan's hand. “Please feel free to visit again.”

“I... yeah, I will.”

With a quick wave, he says goodbye, trying not to skip on his way back.

The front door opens with yet another loud groan, immediately slamming shut when he lets go of the knob, but Seungcheol has already learned to hold on until the door is almost shut. The resounding slam is nowhere near as loud as it has been the first few times, but it's still loud enough for Joshua to hear him and come wandering in from the kitchen.

“Hey Cheol.” Joshua greets him, drawing him in a nice, warm hug. “How are you?”

“Great.” Seungcheol says, resting his head on Joshua's shoulder. “I went to meet Jeonghan and the cats. And it wasn't a disaster.”

“I'm glad.” Joshua tells him, stroking his hair. “Jeonghan seems nice.”

“He is.” Seungcheol hums, relaxing into Joshua's touch. “And he has a cousin who really wants to know all about our renovation plans.”

“He does?” The petting stops for a moment, but resumes when Seungcheol whines lightly. “Is he nice?”

“He's very, very curious. He had so many questions. But I think he just genuinely wanted to know.”

“Did he now?”

Eventually they untangle, even though Seungcheol would love nothing more than to stay in Joshua's arms, but the entrance isn't really the best way for cuddles.  
Dinner is a cozy affair. Instead of the dining table, the two of them scoot closely together on the couch, eating fried rice and leftovers while discussing Seungcheol's afternoon. Joshua listens attentively, pausing every now and then to brush some rice away from Seungcheol's cheeks.

“He sounds really nice.” Joshua says. There is something in his eyes that Seungcheol can't quite place. “I'd like to join you some time.”

“Of course.” Seungcheol is quick to agree. “He said he'd like it if you would.”

A pleased smile spreads across Joshua's face and Seungcheol knows it was the right thing to say.

“And his cats are so cute.”

He continues to gush, telling the story of the catnip sock that has Joshua laughing until he swallows rice and almost chokes. After a heavy coughing fit, they stare at each other, Seungcheol baffled and Joshua hysterically giddy, and burst into another laughing fit.

Much later, after a session of nostalgic cartoons, they lie together in bed, ignoring how cold the covers still feel. Resting his head on Joshua's shoulder, he tries to take a peek at the book he's reading. Joshua pointedly tugs it away a few times, waiting for Seungcheol to complain before holding the book in its original position, only to pull it away again when Seungcheol starts reading.

“What are you reading?” Seungcheol asks, finally giving up their impromptu game of tag.

“A horror story.”

“Why?” Appalled Seungcheol sits up. “Before bed? You're going to get nightmares.”

“Cheol, my darling husband, I'm not five anymore. I won't get nightmares.” Joshua says with utmost conviction. “... aren't you curious why I picked the book?”

“... maybe.” Seungcheol admits, curling up against Joshua's side.

Instead of answering, Joshua flips open the cover, turning it so that Seungcheol can take a good look at the author. A familiar face stares back at him.

“No way.” Seungcheol snatches the book from Joshua's hands. A closer inspection reveals that it's indeed Jeonghan, hair longer and lighter in the photograph, but it's most definitely him. “Horror stories?”

“Yeah.”

Skimming over the brief introduction, Seungcheol pauses.

“He's 23.”

“Yes.” Joshua nods. “He's already written several horror novels and short stories.”

“Shua, he's a baby.” Seungcheol emphasizes, earning himself a raised eyebrow.

“He's an adult.”

“He's so young.” Seungcheol reiterates. “How does he even live alone?”

“Seungcheol, we were living together by 23. Besides, he's an adult with a lot of money.” Joshua states, judgmental eyebrows firmly in place. “I'm sure he knows how to survive on his own.”

Pouting, Seungcheol turns to the side. Jeonghan had seemed so mature, so put together that Seungcheol feels a hint of awe. A tiny voice inside his head reminds him that Jeonghan said that he didn't cook very well and that he had seemed distracted a few times. Perhaps Jeonghan struggles with low blood sugar?

“Cheol, you big teddy bear, are you pouting?”

“No.”

“You know there's nothing wrong with being friends with someone a lot younger?” Joshua asks gently. “Jeonghan seems like the type who doesn't care about that kind of thing.

“I know.”

Putting the book away, Joshua settles down behind him; his chest warm and solid against Seungcheol's back. It's easy to ignore his thoughts and allow himself to drift off to sleep.

Cold fingers trail over his cheek. Turning away from Joshua's icy fingers, he moves to the edge of the bed, relinquishing a fair part of the blanket to Joshua. Sighing deeply, he ignores the critter upstairs, curling into a small ball to preserve heat. Within minutes Joshua's cold fingers press against his cheeks, his nape, tug on his shoulder, before a cold nose presses against his shoulder. Then frozen lips brush against his forehead; long hair sliding against his nose.  
Seungcheol turns around, willing to push his husband back to his side of the bed.

Except Joshua is already lying there. Face relaxed and peaceful in his sleep.

Fingers close around Seungcheol's ankle.

And he screams. Screams and screams, fighting against the hands latching on to him, shaking him.

“Seungcheol!”

Joshua's voice snaps him out of his frenzied fighting.

His husband looks pale in the dim light of their bedroom, but it's him. Shuddering, Seungcheol lets himself fall into his arms.

“You had a nightmare, baby.”

“It was so real.” Seungcheol says, keeping track of Joshua's fingers brushing along his arms.

“It was just a nightmare. Go back to sleep. I'm here.” Joshua shushes him, gently rocking him in his arms.

Only when it’s light outside does Seungcheol dare to close his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to those who sat through my whining <3


End file.
